Should organized sport characteristics be considered as a strategy for meeting physical activity guidelines in children?

Background: A clearer understanding of the relationships between specific sport context with overall physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) may contribute to the development of more accurate preventive strategies to increase children's engagement in PA.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine how different organized sports contributed to children's daily PA and ST.

Methods: PA was measured for seven days via accelerometers, in 410 children aged 6-10 years (49.8% boys). Of those, 332 (53.0% boys) were engaged in an organized sport and were further considered for statistical analyses. Parents reported children's sport participation (e.g. which sport, number of times per week, duration). The sports were classified into: indoor vs. outdoor; individuals vs. team; combat vs. individual aesthetic vs. racing vs. invasion. Children's height and weight were objectively collected. Multiple one-way analyses of covariance were used to examine the effects of sport characteristics on PA and ST. A linear regression, adjusted for children's sex, age, body mass index and father's educational level, determined the relationship between being involved in multiple PA and sedentary behaviours with Moderate to Vigorous PA (MVPA) levels.

Results: Although engaged in an organized sport, only 30% of the children achieved the PA recommendations. Sport (compared with active commute and active play) was the best contributor to daily MVPA. Outdoor sports (vs. indoor) contributed the most to vigorous PA (VPA) and MVPA. Team sports (vs. individual) were significantly associated with lower ST. Children in combat sports accumulated more VPA and MVPA, while those in racing sports showed a higher ST.

Conclusions: Sport participation alone does not guarantee children will reach the PA guidelines, and the type of sport can influence children's PA levels. Gender-stereotypes in sports may prevent girls from achieving their 60 minutes of MVPA daily.